2018 BMW 740Li Review
Car Tested: 2018 BMW 740Li ; Road Test No. 1020; Test Location: Mumbai
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 1,57,50,126/-
The 7-Series is the best car in the segment when it comes to luxury and driving feel
The BMW 7-Series is in its sixth generation and the German automaker is heavily focussed on petrol engines for the G12 model as there are 3 petrol engines on offer against just a single diesel, the 730Ld. The 740Li is the base petrol among higher performing gasoline mills like the 750Li (4.4L V8 – 450 HP) and 760Li (6.6L V12 – 600 HP) but where the former most has the advantage is price as it is the only petrol variant of the 7-Series that is locally assembled via the CKD route, it also costs exactly the same as the 730Ld M Sport.
MotorQuest: The 7-Series is BMW’s flagship car and is available in standard (G11) and long wheelbase (G12) versions, the latter most is only sold in India. It was launched in India at the 2016 Auto Expo.
Chrome in plenty on the DPE trim, the M Sport looks better though
Exteriors – The 740Li is only available in Design Pure Excellence (DPE) Signature trim while the 730Ld is available in 3 variants – Eminence (the entry-level 7-Series model for India which costs Rs. 15 lakhs less). There is no M Sport variant for the 740Li which is available on all other engines of the limousine (except the 760Li which is available in xDrive trim). Thus, the 7-Series doesn’t have sporty bits but makes do with a lot of chrome for that premium appeal. The design is elegant, the car is huge with a length of more than 5.2-metres and the 19-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels look particularly elegant.
Familiar design elements in the family, the 7 looks like a bigger 5
The big dimensions of the BMW 7-Series gives it a lot of road presence
The real attention to detail on this generation of the BMW 7-Series is in the lights. The headlights get a blue tinge and have BMW LaserLight engraved on the sides while the tail-lights have BMW engraved on the outer corner. Chrome might be in excess here but is tasteful nonetheless with everything from the front to the side and the rear having chrome lines. A massive hood, the signature kidney grille and a design which looks all too familiar to the new 5-Series might make you mistake the 7-Series for the lesser model but once you glance at the massive 3.2-metres plus wheelbase, you know this is BMW’s flagship sedan.
The dashboard of the 7-Series is rich in quality and aesthetically pleasing
Interiors – There is crazy amount of attention to detail inside the cabin, open the large doors and you see ‘Carbon Core’ badging on the inside of the b-pillars. Step inside and there is just plenty of leather, brushed metal and wood. The seats are supremely comfortable and save for the co-passenger seat, all get multiple adjustments and also a 3-level massage with multiple types. However, all seats get heated and cooled functions, ironically both can work at the same time. All controls are in easy reach and the latest iDrive system works flawlessly although we weren’t impressed by the Samsung tab which is used to control the various settings of the car, including sun-blinds, seat functions and ambient lighting, the software is just too laggy.
Good space at the rear along with massage means it’s very comfy
Th 7-Series’ cabin might be familiar to other BMWs but is no less than its rivals
The rear seat offers plenty of space with the bed mode folding the front co-passenger seat and also opening a footrest, even a 6 footer can stretch comfortably here. Loaded to the gills with equipment like soft touch door close, fantastic sounding Harman Kardon audio system (the car also gets wireless Apple CarPlay which works with WiFi but if you are connected via Bluetooth, it continuously sends pop ups on your phone asking you to connect to WiFi, quite irritating), 360 degree cameras which smartly show you different views to give you a realistic position of the car, front and rear panoramic Sky Lounge roofs, two car perfumes, ambient lightning and of course the touch remote which also let’s you drive the car with it. The boot is decent sized and gets a powered boot-lid, a feature missing in the Mercedes S-Class.
The straight-six engine is extremely refined and pulls strongly from get go
Performance – While the diesel produces 258 HP, the 740Li outputs 326 HP and 450 Nm, from a low 1380 RPM, going all the way till 5000 RPM. Both engines are 3.0-litre straight-six units but the refinement on the 740Li is just astonishing, it’s super quiet and smooth lower down and only gets vocal past 4000 RPM, that too in a good way. 0-100 km/hr comes up in 5.6 seconds (0.6 seconds faster than the diesel yet 0.9 seconds and 1.9 seconds slower than the 750Li and 760Li respectively). Power delivery is linear, there is no lag from this turbo motor lower down and the mid-range is strong with a screaming top-end as it revs till almost 7000 RPM.
For a 6-cylinder motor, the 3.0-litre unit performs exceptionally well
In spite of the lesser torque, the 740Li is still quicker than the 730Ld
The 8-speed ZF gearbox offers fast and smooth shifts and you can manually take control of cogs using the tiptronic function on the gear lever, shockingly, it misses out on paddle shifters. There are 4 drive modes – Eco Pro, Comfort, Comfort Plus and Sport with the former most and later most also getting individual settings. These modes alter the engine, gearbox, steering and suspension. To boost mileage, there is a stop-start system too and EfficientDynamics ensures the alternator is charged under braking but this car is best driven in Sport mode or chauffeured in Comfort Plus.
The BMW 7-Series is the most fun to drive limo, no two ways about it
Driving Dynamics – The BMW 7-Series feels quite soft in comfort plus mode and a bit floaty too with a steering that’s too light. In Sport, it feels brilliant, rather phenomenal as things tighten up while still keeping the ride comfortable, only sharp bumps can be felt inside. Otherwise, the ride quality is great but the handling is surreal, the steering weighs up brilliantly well too and the body control is excellent in spite of the massive size, the car stays glued to the road at all times. Thanks to the use of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), the big 7 weighs just 1800 kgs which is one of the reasons for its brilliant dynamics. The brakes are super strong offering great stopping power.
BMW always strikes the right balance between luxury and driving feel
Verdict – The BMW 7-Series is available in 8 variants and the 740Li is among the more affordable models on offer. If you want a petrol limousine which means you are inclined to take to the wheel frequently, then the 750Li is the one you should stretch for. But if you still want a petrol limo without much driving involved yourself, the 740Li offers the best balance of comfort and fun. Still, for the price, the 730Ld seems like the more practical choice.
The BMW LaserLight LEDs are very powerful at night
What’s Cool
* Loaded with tech, remote park and gesture control are cool
* Comfortable seats with massage function pampers occupants
* Refined engine doesn’t feel turbocharged as it has great drivability
* Brilliant ride and handling balance, comfortable yet fun to drive
* Plenty of options, there is a 7-Series for almost every limo buyer
What’s Not So Cool
* No M Sport for 740Li
* Costs as much as the diesel for a lower trim
* No steering mounted paddles
* The S-Class is still the limo to be driven in
Alternatives: BMW 7-Series, Audi A8L, Jaguar XJL
BMW offers the most variants of a limousine in India, 8 for the 7-Series
Further Reading
[wp-review id=”223533″]